Washboard



Ebb, m, w36, K, P, OPPERMANN www@ y WAS HHHH RD ffy@ a NNNNNN OR ,KURT ,D 0ppm/MAW fw 5 E; ATTORNEY M i KV l1 Patented Feb. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES WASHBOARD Kurt Peters Oppermann, to National Washboar Saginaw, Mich., assignor d Company, Chicago, Ill.,

a corporation of West Virginia Application May 7, 1934, Serial No. 724,314

2 Claims.

This invention relates to washboards and pertains more particularly to an improved rubbing element or surface. Y

Its object is to provide a unitary rubbing surface which shall be easier to use than those heretofore available and which shall be particularly adapted to the washing of fine linens and other delicate fabrics with much less wear and tear on the cloth than results from the use of conventional washboard surfaces.

The invention consists of a washboard rubbing surface having a plurality of relatively deep ribs and grooves or channels extending lengthwise thereof parallel with the side members and legs of the washboard frame, the side walls of the ribs being formed with diagonal wales and indentations which are shallower than thelengthwise ribs and grooves. These wales and indentations are parallel and lie diagonally of the ribs at an angle thereto of forty-five degrees or less. Being thus located in the side walls of the channels into which is pressed the material being washed,

they impart to the material a gentle transverse rolling or squeezing action, rather than the violently rasping vibratory action of the customary rubbing surface having its major ribs and grooves extending crosswise of the direction of rubbing.

With the above and certain other objects in View which will appear later in the specification, my invention comprises the devices described and claimed and the equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawingf Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a washboard having a rubbing surface made according to my invention, in which a, portion of the surfaceI is shown in detail;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary` front View of the surface shown in Fig. 1; A

Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation of the surface shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 shows a modied form ing to the invention;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation of the surface of Fig. 4.

As is shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the rubbing element consists of a sheet of metal, glass, or other hard, smooth material, formed with vertical or longitudinal parallel corrugations, which present alternating ribs I and grooves 2, their general shape and cross-section being shown in Fig. 3. The surface is mounted in the washboard frame with its ribs-l and grooves 2 parallel with Vthe side members and legs of the frame. On each rib l is a succession of parallel indentations 3 alternating with Wale-like ridges 4, which lie dishowing a part of surface accordagonally of the ribs and the grooves, at an angle thereto of forty-live degrees or less. These wales and indentations, particularly those portions of them on the sides of the ribs dening the side walls of the channels 2, provide the improved washing properties of the surface.

The rubbing surface of Figs. 4 and 5 embodies the invention in somewhat more intricate form. It is essentially the surface shown and'described in United States Patent No. 1,896,077 to Harwood J. Gilbert. This surface is mounted in the washboard frame with its major ribs 5 and channels 6 extending parallel to the side members and legs of the frame, lengthwise of the direction of rubbing. The side walls of the channels 6 are formed and patterned to present parallel, alternating wales 'I and indentations 8 lying diagonally of the channels at an angle thereto of forty-five degrees or less. The indentations 8 on one side Wall of the channel are continued or projected in the same direction on the opposite side wall, in distinction to the channels of Figs. 1, 2, and 3, in which the indentations on oppositel walls are convergently directed toward the bottom of the channel. Intersecting the wales and indentations 1, 8, a second series of parallel wales and indentations I0 are superimposed upon the channel side walls, giving the surface a braided or woven appearance.

When the surface shown in Figs. 1 through 3 is in use, the diagonally disposed indentations 3 and Wales 4 grip the mass of fabric pressed into them. As Vthe fabric is rubbed up and down in the channel it is alternately gathered and squeezed together toward the bottom of the channel and then separated and loosened. This action effectively forces the water back and forth through the fabric with a minimum of friction and strain on its threads.

The action of the surface of Figs. 4 and 5 may differ slightly from the above. :In a. given channel or section of the surface one series of wales 1 and indentations 8 may engage the fabric more effectively than the intersecting series 9 and I0. In this case when the material is moved up and down the channel 2 the helically directed indentations 8 will twist or squeeze the fabric back and forth laterally. Simultaneously, another part of the surface may partake of the action of the surface of Figs. 1, 2, and 3. In the case of both surfaces the fabric is subjected to an intermittent squeezing or twisting action, rather than to the rasping and pounding of the transversely directed corrugations of the washboards heretofore in general use. The lengthwise channels 2 and 6 permit rapid drainage of the dirt-bearing water from the rubbing surface.

Experimentation has shown that my improved board Will clean delicate fabrics with the same amount of rubbing as a board having transverse ribs, and Will Wear or fray the fabric less than one-third as rapidly.

Another advantage of the invention is that, in washing small pieces or thin fabrics having little body to protect the users lingers and knuckles, the comfort of the user is rubbing with instead of across corrugations.

The improved surface is particularly adapted for use in combination with a rubbing surface having transverse corrugations for more vigorous Washing of heavy and soiled materials, to provide a double-faced board, as shown and described in the patent to Charles T. Gilbert, No. 1,987,232, issued January 8, 1935.

While I have shown and described two specic Washboard surfaces, certain variations and modications in the markings and formations of the Washing surfaces may be made Without departing from the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

the deep ribs and much increased byV Having thus described a preferred embodiment of my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a Washboard having side frame members and legs, a rubbing surface having a plurality of ribs and channels extending parallel to said frame members and legs lengthwise of the direction of rubbing, said channels being round bottomed and concave, the side Walls of said channels presenting parallel alternating Wales and indentations lying diagonally of said channels at an angle of less than forty-five degrees thereto.

2. In a Washboard having side frame members and legs, a rubbing surface having a plurality of ribs and round-bottomed channels extending lengthwise of the direction of rubbing parallel to said frame members and legs, each side Wall of each of said channels presenting parallel alternating Wales and indentations lying diagonally of said channel at an inclination of forty-five degrees or less thereto, the Wales and indentations on opposite side Walls extending convergently toward the bottom of said channel.

KURT P. OPPERMANN. 

